


I'll Love You Too Tomorrow

by unspokenfaith



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, F/M, Girl Power, Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-12 01:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20163760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unspokenfaith/pseuds/unspokenfaith
Summary: After two months without seeing Peter, and minimal contact, MJ refuses to become the “crazy girlfriend,” no matter how upset she is. Betty’s party invite seems like the perfect opportunity to forget about him for the night.





	I'll Love You Too Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is a day late, but it’s longer than I expected it to be. I thought I was going to do an actual college au where they’re first meeting, but this is pretty canon compliant after FFH with Peter and MJ having been dating since then :’)

It took two and a half years and many pep talks in the mirror, but Betty finally summoned the courage —or the stupidity— to use her fake ID. 

Unlike MJ, who refused to let the college scene affect her in any way whatsoever, Betty saw it as an opportunity to reinvent herself, to start over. From what, she wasn’t so sure. Being the perfectionist she was, she took it upon herself to order self-care journals, watch inspirational TED talks on YouTube, and read articles about how a new haircut is the start to a new you —all before move-in day.

Although she couldn’t bring herself to get more than a trim, MJ was impressed with the “new Betty.” No more plaid skirts and cardigans. Now she exclusively wore ripped jeans and tank tops. It was edgy enough for Betty, and she seemed comfortable with herself, so who was MJ to judge? 

What MJ couldn’t get behind, however, was the excessive partying. She never judged anyone for how they liked to have fun. In fact, MJ often enjoyed herself when Betty dragged her along, but only if she was drinking, which she only did to avoid standing awkwardly in a corner and wishing she never came in the first place. 

Betty was far from being an alcoholic, but on more than one occasion in the three months they had been at Yale, MJ would have to pull her from the bathroom and walk her back to their dorm, only for Betty to vomit all over the carpet. In their tiny shoe box of a room, the smell wouldn’t go away for days. But since Betty apologized profusely every time, and MJ could never stay mad at her for more than a minute, she never held it against her. 

MJ didn’t even know why she agreed to go with her to a party at a house off campus —something neither of them had done before. Truthfully, the idea scared her, but she wasn’t about to let Betty know that. 

Still, maybe her friend’s newfound you-only-live-once attitude rubbed off on her just a tiny bit. And maybe she just couldn’t spend another night sitting alone in their room missing Peter so much it ached. 

MJ pressed the power button for the radio before remembering Betty’s car had been off for too long. She was beginning to worry that her friend finally got in trouble for the fake when she saw her coming out of the liquor store.

“You look kind of pale. Are you cold?” Betty asked, getting into the driver’s seat. “You could’ve turned the heat on.”

“You took the keys with you.”

“Oh, right...sorry,” she said. “You know, I’m really glad you’re coming with me tonight. I don’t think I’d be able to find this house without you.”

“You wouldn’t be able to find anything without me,” MJ said, looking out the window. “Will you be really disappointed if I change my mind?”

“What?” Betty nearly stopped the car. “Why would you change your mind?”

“I don’t know if I’m up for it.”

She rolled her eyes. “You are  _ not  _ sitting alone in our room tonight. I know you want your ‘me time’ and all, but this will be the third weekend in a row. You promised you would go.”

“What if I  _ promise _ to go next time?” 

MJ’s phone lit up and she quickly grabbed it. It was Peter.

_ Have fun with Betty tonight. Love you :) _

Betty gave her a look as she turned her phone back over on her lap. 

“This is about him, isn’t it?” 

“No it isn’t! Believe it or not, my life doesn’t revolve around a boy,” MJ said, sinking into her seat.

“A  _ boy  _ that you haven’t seen in two months. Look, I know you don’t like to talk about it, but if you want to, I’m happy to listen.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay,” Betty drawled. “But it’s not good for you to keep all of this to yourself. I know you miss him. And I know it’s hard with him being like three hours away, but you should just tell him—”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it!” MJ snapped.

Betty frowned, but kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the road. MJ regretted it as soon as she said it. The only thing she hated as much as talking about her feelings was hurting Betty’s. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, then after a pause, “You’re right.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Betty said. “I know you don’t like talking about it. I just wish you would because I hate seeing you so upset, you know? It’s hard being in a long distance relationship. I get it.”

MJ gave her a look. “You see Ned every two weeks.”

“Well…” She appeared to be thinking about it for a moment, then sighed. “Yeah, okay. But I still get it. You miss him everyday. Like you can’t concentrate on anything in class because you’re just thinking about when you’ll see him next, or the last text he sent you, or—”

“I get it,” MJ mumbled.

“I’m really not helping, am I?”

“No, it’s really not you, Betty. I promise,” she assured her.

Betty smiled. “Just don’t be sad forever, okay? You’ll see him soon. It’s Peter, remember? He’s the furthest from a….a fuck boy I’ve ever met.”

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say the word ‘fuck,’” MJ said. “And I’m going to tell Ned you said that.”

If Betty thought she was joking, she sure didn’t after MJ took out her phone and started typing. 

“Please don’t! You know how fragile he is.”

* * *

“He isn’t answering me!” 

MJ threw her phone across the bed and heard it clatter on the floor. That would be the fourth time this week she cracked her screen. 

“You’re beginning to sound like high school me,” Betty said, straightening the final strand of her hair. 

“You realize your hair is already straight, right?” MJ raised an eyebrow at her.

She set the straightener down carefully on her desk with a sigh. “It’s a party. I just wanted to do something a little extra. Want me to do yours?”

“I’m good, thanks.” MJ leaned over the bed to retrieve her phone. 

This was exactly what she never wanted to be when she came to college. Never in a million years did MJ think she would become the crazy girlfriend. She always hated that term anyway. Invented by men who don’t have the balls to own up to their mistakes when women are upset with them. 

She knew the distance would be hard, Peter being nearly 3 hours away at MIT. Still, they had been together since the end of junior year, and maybe it was foolishly optimistic, but MJ believed they could make it. Peter wasn’t just her boyfriend. He was her best friend. He understood her better than anyone else. And even when he didn’t, he listened. He loved her, and she loved him. And even though she knew the same could be said for so many high school couples who broke up in college, MJ knew what they had was special.

The fact that she was beginning to second guess herself, that she was getting upset over nothing, was what drove her insane more than anything. As much as she loved Peter, he wasn’t worth all the strain.

MJ was going to be upfront, and if that made her psychotic in Peter’s eyes, she wouldn’t give a damn.

“What are you doing?” Betty asked, nervously eyeing MJ on her phone. 

“Texting Peter.”

“And...what are you saying?” 

“Just that we haven’t seen each other in months and we need to talk face to face or I’m going to dump him.”

Betty blinked. “Uh, okay. Maybe don’t say that last part. You’re going to scare the shit out of him.”

MJ groaned, falling back on her pillow. “I know, okay? I’m sorry. I’m just mad.”

“And I don’t blame you,” she said. “But you’re getting way too ahead of yourself. Just ask him when he can talk.”

“I’ve been asking him that for weeks,” MJ said. “It’s always ‘Soon, I promise. I’m really really sorry. I miss you. I love you. Blah blah blah.’ I’m busy, too, but at least I’m making an effort here.”

She bit her lip, at a loss for words. “Let’s just go to the party. You need to get your mind off this for a while. Text him later.”

“I’ll be drunk later,” MJ mumbled. “Maybe that’s a good thing though.”

Betty rolled her eyes, then grabbed her arm and pulled her up from her bed. “Come on. We’re going.”

* * *

Betty wasted no time when they showed up at the house, which she never would have found without MJ’s help. But to her credit, if it weren’t for her astounding confidence, they wouldn’t have made it into the party at all. Although they looked like freshmen, anyone would think they were seniors the way Betty walked in like she owned the place. Luckily, she happened to know one of the girls who lived here from the radio station. 

“Betty! So glad you could make it!”

“Alicia!” Betty hugged her, and Alicia disappeared into the crowd shortly after. MJ felt Betty grab her hand and pull her through the crowd to the table with drinks. Already a littered mess. Betty, ever the white girl, grabbed a white claw. The entire walk here, MJ debated whether or not she should drink anything. On the one hand, it probably wasn’t a good idea with where her emotions were at. On the other, that seemed like the perfect excuse.

MJ grabbed a plastic cup and poured herself whatever jungle juice they were serving. Normally she was more picky about what drank, but tonight she didn’t care. 

“You’re drinking that?” Betty looked at her in disbelief. 

“Yep,” she replied, taking a large sip. “Try it. It’s good.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

MJ turned away so she couldn’t see the concerned look on her friend’s face. Betty could afford to give MJ one night where she was the wasted one. 

Unfortunately, that meant catching the eye of a boy leaning on the wall on the other side of the room. Maybe it was her drink, which was a lot stronger than she was expecting, but he looked a lot like Peter. He smiled at her in a way that made her want to throw up. She downed half the cup. 

When she turned around again, Betty was laughing with a group of girls from their calculus class. Some guy brushed past MJ, nearly knocking her off her feet, and mumbed a half-assed apology. She resisted the urge to mouth off on him. 

The other half of her cup was gone by the time she walked to the other side of the room. She somehow ended up standing in front of the boy standing by the wall, who appeared far too smug. 

“You know, you’re one to laugh right now,” she spat.

“Uh, okay.” He was standing so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath. She flinched when he reached out to touch a curl hanging down the side of her face. “Cool hair.”

MJ grabbed his hand, pushing it away with more force than she intended. He yelled when it hit the wall. 

“Fuck off,” she said, leaving him clutching his hand as she squeezed herself through the crowd until she was by the front door. Everything was dizzy now, so she leaned on the wall for support and tried to concentrate. At this point, MJ needed to find Betty and get out. She knew her limits and finishing a whole cup of mystery alcohol in less than 10 minutes definitely exceeded them.

MJ moved her hand along the wall until she found the door, pulling it open to be met with a comforting breath of fresh air. She stumbled outside and sat down on the front steps, holding her head between her hands. 

“MJ?”

She thought she was seeing things again when she looked up and saw Peter standing in front of her. There was no way he was actually here.

“MJ, are you okay?” He kneeled down in front of her, brushing her hair out of her face. His touch was warm, familiar. Peter.

“What the—” She blinked, focusing on his face. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to surprise you. Betty said you guys would be here.” MJ must’ve looked completely ridiculous because Peter was grinning ear to ear. “You don’t look so good.”

“You don’t get to laugh right now, Petey.” She meant to cover his mouth, but she spread her hand over his entire face. 

“Petey?” Peter lowered her hand, holding it with his own. “I know. You’re right.”

“We haven’t seen each other in months, Peter. And you come here expecting everything to be okay just because...just because you came here.”

Peter looked down, stroking her hand with his thumb. He knew that always calmed her down. “I’m really sorry, MJ. I know I screwed up. I never want to be that kind of...I don’t want to be…”

“A fuck boy?” 

“Yeah, exactly. I don’t want you to think that’s what this is. That I just got bored after high school and I was trying to get rid of you or something. I know you’ve been busy too, and that’s no excuse. I promise this will never happen again. I promise I’ll—”

MJ put her hand on Peter’s nose. “Can you just shut up and take me back to my room please? Apologize to me when I’m sober, okay?”

He nodded vigorously, lifting her up and wrapping an arm around her waist. “I love you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll love you too tomorrow.”

Peter smiled. “What did you drink anyway?”

“I have no idea, but it was terrible.” 


End file.
